I recently overheard a small boy ask his mother if she were a plant, what kind she'd like to be. He earnestly volunteered that he'd want to be a vine, so he could grow around things.

He's got a point. Vines rise above it all, and have a great grasp on life, even while relying on others for their support. From the gardener's perspective, vines are a great way to add some height to the back of a border or disguise an otherwise unattractive structure or fence.

My favorite vine combo is clematis growing on roses, although getting both plants to bloom at the same time is an inexact science.

Right now many of the vines in my garden are outstripping their support structures. The pole beans have hit the top of their obelisk and are flopping down the other side waiting for me to provide another foothold. Ditto with the hops. Clematis plants that have overrun their trellis have started wrapping around themselves. But other vines are resolutely turning their backs on their intended support. When presented with a perfectly serviceable trellis, the cucumbers and watermelon are instead intent on winding themselves as tightly as possible into the protective chicken wire that surrounds them despite daily efforts to give their thoughts another direction.

If you're in the market for some plants that will grow on you, here's a link to some perennial and annual vines broken down by height and sun requirements: www.bachmans.com/divHomePage.ep

One of the plants on the list is zone hardy wisteria, which looks lovely, but I've heard people complain it's hard to control and needs really heavy duty support. Have you grown wisteria, and if so, how have you controlled it and would you recommend yea or nay?

While I 'm a sucker for most vines, not all the vines growing in my garden are welcome: Bindweed has gotten loose in one area. Just like their favored flowering counterparts, vining weeds sometimes grow a little too fast to keep up with.